Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Study protocol

Effects of workplace bullying on Chinese children’s health, behaviours and school adjustment via parenting: study protocol for a longitudinal study

Author: Catalina Sau Man Ng

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2019

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Bullying in the workplace is a serious public health issue. As a chronic work stress, workplace bullying places the victims’ physical and mental health at risk which, in extreme cases, may lead to suicidal ideation. The high prevalence rate of workplace bullying has been reported and documented globally. However, a major limitation of the existing literature is that studies essentially focus on the consequences of workplace bullying on victims, including the psychological, physiological and socioeconomic impacts, and on the factors causing workplace bullying, but research on the impact of workplace bullying on the victims’ families is lacking. It is however evident that the consequences of workplace bullying have a spillover effect on the victims’ family members. Since many victims have children and given that children are particularly vulnerable to a negative family environment, examining the impacts of the type of parental stress induced by workplace bullying on children’s health including physical and psychological health (depression and self-esteem), externalizing problem behaviors (aggression, lying, disrespect) and school adjustment (academic performance and school conduct) is urgently needed. The overall aim of this study is to examine how health, externalizing problem behaviors and school adjustment of children whose parents are victims of workplace bullying may be associated with the impact that workplace bullying has on parenting practices.

Methods

It is a longitudinal study. Quantitative data will be collected from multi-informants, including currently employed Chinese parents, their children aged between 6 and 12 years old, and their class teachers at two time points, separated by a 1-year interval. One primary school will be recruited from each district of Hong Kong including participants with different socioeconomic backgrounds. At least 837 dyads (parents and children) from 18 primary schools will join the study.

Discussion

Workplace bullying not only affects victims but can also be harmful to their families as it alters the victims temper in the family environment. Results will be informative for the government and corporations to make concerted efforts and find strategies to prevent workplace bullying and to heighten the awareness of the importance of promoting safe and respectful workplaces for workers.
Literature
1.
Srabstein JC, Leventhal BL. Prevention of bullying-related morbidity and mortality: a call for public health policies. Bull World Health Organ. 2010;88:403–4.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
2.
Finne LB, Knardahl S, Lau B. Workplace bullying and mental distress - a prospective study of Norwegian employees. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2011;37(4):276–87.PubMedCrossRef
3.
Grynderup MB, Nabe-Nielsen K, Lange T, Conway PM, Bonde JP, Garde AH, Gullander M, Kaerlev L, Persson R, Rugulies R. The associations between workplace bullying, salivary cortisol, and long-term sickness absence: a longitudinal study. BMC Public Health. 2017;17(1):710–21.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
4.
Nielsen MB, Nielsen GH, Notelaers G, Einarsen S. Workplace bullying and suicidal ideation: a 3-wave longitudinal Norwegian study. Am J Public Health. 2015;105(11):e23–8.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
5.
Einarsen S: Mobbing og Harde Personkonflikter: Helsefarlig samspill på arbeidsplassen [Bullying and severe interpersonal conflicts. unhealthy interaction at work]. Bergen: Norway: Sigma Forlag; 1994.
6.
Leach LS, Poyser C, Butterworth P. Workplace bullying and the association with suicidal ideation/thoughts and behaviour: a systematic review. Occup Environ Med. 2017;74(1):72–9.PubMedCrossRef
7.
Kivimäki M, Virtanen M, Vartia M, Elovainio M, Vahtera J, Keltikangas-Järvinen L. Workplace bullying and the risk of cardiovascular disease and depression. Occup Environ Med. 2003;60(1):779–83.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
8.
Bonde JP, Gullander M, Hansen ÅM, Grynderup M, Persson R, Hogh A, Willert MV, Kaerlev L, Rugulies R, Kolstad HA. Health correlates of workplace bullying: a 3-wave prospective follow-up study. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2016;42(1):17–25.PubMedCrossRef
9.
Xu T, Hanson LLM, Lange T, Starkopf L, Westerlund H, Madsen IE, Rugulies R, Pentti J, Stenholm S, Vahtera J. Workplace bullying and violence as risk factors for type 2 diabetes: a multicohort study and meta-analysis. Diabetologia. 2018;61(1):75–83.PubMedCrossRef
10.
Yoo G, Lee S. It doesn’t end there: workplace bullying, work-to-family conflict, and employee well-being in Korea. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;15(7):1548–61.PubMedCentralCrossRef
11.
12.
13.
14.
Liu J, Kwan HK, Lee C, Hui C. Work-to-family spillover effects of workplace ostracism: the role of work-home segmentation preferences. Hum Resour Manag. 2013;52(1):75–94.CrossRef
15.
16.
Zapf D, Einarsen S. Individual antecedents of bullying: victims and perpetrators. In: Einarsen S, Hoel H, Zapf D, Cooper C, editors. Bullying and emotional abuse in the workplace: International perspectives in research and practice. London: Taylor & Francis; 2003. p. 165–84.
17.
Stewart W, Barling J. Fathers' work experiences effect children's behaviors via job-related affect and parenting behaviors. J Organ Behav. 1996;17(3):221–32.CrossRef
18.
19.
Lee F, Tiedens LZ. Is it lonely at the top? The independence and interdependence of power holders. Res Organ Behav. 2001;23:43–91.CrossRef
20.
21.
Repetti RL, Wood J. Families accommodating to chronic stress: unintended and unnoticed processes. In: Gottlieb B, editor. Coping with chronic stress. New York: Plenum Press; 1997. p. 191–220.CrossRef
22.
Crouter AC, Bumpus MF. Linking parents' work stress to children's and adolescents' psychological adjustment. Curr Dir Psychol Sci. 2001;10(5):156–9.CrossRef
23.
Duffy M, Sperry L. Workplace mobbing: individual and family health consequences. Fam J. 2007;15(4):398–404.CrossRef
24.
25.
Daniels D, Moos RH. Exosystem influences, family environment, and child functioning. J Soc Behav Pers. 1988;3(4):113–33.
26.
Bronfenbrenner U. The ecology of human development: experiments by nature and design. Cambridge: Harvard University Press; 1979.
27.
Krishnan V. Early childhood development: A conceptual model. Paper presented at the Early Childhood. Annual Conference ‘Valuing Care’, Christchurch Convention Convention Centre, New Zealand. 2010.
28.
Rayner C, Keashly L. Bullying at work: a perspective from Britain and North America. In: Foxm S, Spector P, editors. Counterproductive work behavior. Washington: DC: American Psychological Association; 2004. p. 271–96.
29.
Saunders P, Huynh A, Goodman-Delahunty J. Defining workplace bullying behaviour professional lay definitions of workplace bullying. Int J Law Psychiatry. 2007;30:340–54.PubMedCrossRef
30.
Einarsen S, Hoel H, Cooper C. Bullying and emotional abuse in the workplace: international perspectives in research and practice. London: Taylor & Francis; 2003.CrossRef
31.
Nielsen MB, Matthiesen SB, Einarsen S. The impact of methodological moderators on prevalence rates of workplace bullying: a meta-analysis. J Occup Organ Psychol. 2010;83(4):955–79.CrossRef
32.
Schaffer HR. Social development. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Inc.; 1996.
33.
Gustavson K, von Soest T, Karevold E, Røysamb E. Attrition and generalizability in longitudinal studies: findings from a 15-year population-based study and a Monte Carlo simulation study. BMC Public Health. 2012;12(1):918–29.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
34.
James J, Thomas P, Kerr D. Preventing childhood obesity: two year follow-up results from the Christchurch obesity prevention programme in schools (CHOPPS). BMJ. 2007;335:762–6.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
35.
Xu F, Marchand S, Corcoran C, DiBiasio H, Clough R, Dyer CS, Nobles J, White J, Greaney ML, Greene GW. A community-based nutrition and physical activity intervention for children who are overweight or obese and their caregivers. J Obes. 2017;2017:9.CrossRef
36.
Chang L, McBride-Chang C, Stewart SM, Au E. Life satisfaction, self-concept, and family relations in Chinese adolescents and children. Int J Behav Dev. 2003;27(2):182–9.CrossRef
37.
38.
Radloff LS. The CES-D scale: a self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Appl Psychol Meas. 1977;1(3):385–401.CrossRef
39.
Lee SW, Stewart SM, Byrne BM, Wong JP, Ho S, Lee PW, Lam T. Factor structure of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale in Hong Kong adolescents. J Pers Assess. 2008;90(2):175–84.PubMedCrossRef
40.
Rosenberg M. Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton: NJ: Princeton University Press; 1965.CrossRef
41.
Chen SX, Cheung FM, Bond MH, Leung JP. Going beyond self-esteem to predict life satisfaction: the Chinese case. Asian J Soc Psychol. 2006;9(1):24–35.CrossRef
42.
43.
Li YX, Nie GH, Li YM, Wang MH, Zhao GX. The Chinese Workplace Bullying Scale (CWBS)–the structure and validation. In: Lam I, Zhou S, Wan G, editors. Psychological and health-related assessment tools developed in China. U.S.A.: Bentham Science Publishers; 2010. p. 45–54.
44.
Goldberg DP, Williams P: A user’s guide to the General Health Questionnaire. Windsor: NFER-NELSON Publishing Company Ltd.; 1988.
45.
Chan DW. The Chinese version of the general health questionnaire: does language make a difference? Psychol Med. 1985;15(1):147–55.PubMedCrossRef
46.
Shek DT. Factor structure of the Chinese version of the general health questionnaire (GHQ-30): a confirmatory factor analysis. J Clin Psychol. 1993;49(5):678–84.PubMedCrossRef
47.
Diener E, Emmons RA, Larsen RJ, Griffin S. The satisfaction with life scale. J Pers Assess. 1985;49(1):71–5.PubMedCrossRef
48.
Shek DT. Actual-ideal discrepancies in the representation of self and significant others and psychological well-being in Chinese adolescents. Int J Psychol. 1992;27:229.
49.
Muthén LK, Muthén BO. Mplus user's guide, sixth edn. Los Angeles: CA: Muthén & Muthén; 2004.
50.
Peugh JL, Enders CK. Missing data in educational research: a review of reporting practices and suggestions for improvement. Rev Edu Res. 2004;74(4):525–56.CrossRef
51.
Jöreskog K, Sörbom D. LISREL 9.2. New York: Scientific Software International; 2015.
52.
Sansone RA, Sansone LA. Workplace bullying: a tale of adverse consequences. Innov Clin Neurosci. 2015;12(1–2):32–7.PubMedPubMedCentral
53.
Voss M, Floderus B, Diderichsen F. Physical, psychosocial, and organisational factors relative to sickness absence: a study based on Sweden post. J Occup Environ Med. 2001;58(3):178–84.CrossRef
54.
Varhama LM, Björkqvist K. Conflicts, workplace bullying and burnout problems among municipal employees. Psychol Rep. 2004;94(3_suppl):1116–24.PubMedCrossRef
55.
Niedhammer I, David S, Degioanni S. Economic activities and occupations at high risk for workplace bullying: results from a large-scale cross-sectional survey in the general working population in France. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2007;80(4):346–53.PubMedCrossRef
56.
Matthiesen SB, Einarsen S. Perpetrators and targets of bullying at work: role stress and individual differences. Violence Vict. 2007;22(6):735–53.PubMedCrossRef
57.
Ortega A, Høgh A, Pejtersen JH, Olsen O. Prevalence of workplace bullying and risk groups: a representative population study. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2009;82(3):417–26.PubMedCrossRef
58.
Giorgi G, Arenas A, Leon-Perez JM. An operative measure of workplace bullying: the negative acts questionnaire across Italian companies. Ind Health. 2011;49(6):686–95.PubMedCrossRef
59.
Glasø L, Bele E, Nielsen MB, Einarsen S. Bus drivers’ exposure to bullying at work: an occupation-specific approach. Scand J Psychol. 2011;52(5):484–93.PubMedCrossRef
60.
Lallukka T, Rahkonen O, Lahelma E. Workplace bullying and subsequent sleep problems-the Helsinki health study. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2011;37(3):204–12.PubMedCrossRef
61.
Notelaers G, Vermunt JK, Baillien E, Einarsen S, De Witte H. Exploring risk groups workplace bullying with categorical data. Ind Health. 2011;49(1):73–88.PubMedCrossRef
62.
Perbellini L, Tisato S, Quintarelli E, Dal PS, Pelizza L, Riolfi A, Zonzin C, Romeo L. Mental disorders related to persistent negative working conditions. Med Lav. 2012;103(6):437–48.PubMed
63.
Keuskamp D, Ziersch AM, Baum FE, LaMontagne AD. Workplace bullying a risk for permanent employees. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2012;36(2):116–9.PubMedCrossRef
64.
Niedhammer I, Sultan-Taïeb H, Chastang J-F, Vermeylen G, Parent-Thirion A. Exposure to psychosocial work factors in 31 European countries. Occup Med. 2012;62(3):196–202.CrossRef
65.
Cunniff L, Mostert K. Prevalence of workplace bullying of south African employees. SA J Hum Resour Manag. 2012;10(1):1–15.
Metadata
Title
Effects of workplace bullying on Chinese children’s health, behaviours and school adjustment via parenting: study protocol for a longitudinal study
Author
Catalina Sau Man Ng
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6458-1

Other articles of this Issue 1/2019

BMC Public Health 1/2019 Go to the issue

Research article

Arab world’s growing contribution to global leishmaniasis research (1998–2017): a bibliometric study

Research article

Quality of care for children with severe disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Research article

Socioeconomic differences in nicotine exposure and dependence in adult daily smokers

Research article

Process evaluation of the Getting it Right study and acceptability and feasibility of screening for depression with the aPHQ-9

Research article

The association of dietary patterns and adherence to WHO healthy diet with metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents: Tehran lipid and glucose study

Research article

Associations between overweight and mental health problems among adolescents, and the mediating role of victimization